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About Stephen C. Host

I've been into photography since 2001 - but like many others grew up interested in all things railway from an early age. I reside in Guelph, Ontario, Canada and currently use two cameras: Nikon D800, and a Nikon D90 (Backup or videos only). Prior Nikon cameras include D60, D70 and D100, and a F65 for when I dabbled in Film (Kodachrome/Fuji Velvia and Provia). Lenses used tend to be either 70-200 F/2.8, 50mm/1.8, or 16-35 F4 (Until 2016) and a 18-35 F/4-5.6 (2016+). I acquired a 80-400 Nikkor which I've been playing with and after some trial and error and a free repair by Nikon it is producing nice sharp results. Professionally - I am an Engineer (P. Eng. - Computer) for a large automotive concern. I also freelance as a photographer with the Canadian Press and their affiliates (AP/etc.) since 2009.

Stephen C. Host's Railpictures.ca photo upload statistics

Number of images: 1537
Total gold: 18934
Number of comments recieved : 5238
Number of comments posted : 8328
Total views: 2752267

Stephen C. Host has the #4 all time image on railpictures.ca!
Stephen C. Host has the #27 all time image on railpictures.ca!
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Stephen C. Host has won Editors Choice 1 time

Stephen C. Host has 6 images in the Time Machine

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Stephen C. Host's 1537 photos on Railpictures.ca:

This was 10 years ago when I was younger and my photography shows it, but here's some of the human side of railroading. I bet many folks will browse by this image and go "oh another shot of some OSR F units, there's so many shots of these" but this isn't any ordinary subject matter and the feller in blue isn't just some 'fan. Those who know know right away who that is at right: OSR Founder and President Kenneth (Jeff) Willsie taking a giant puff of a cigarette while watching his F units park for Lunch at the CP Woodstock Station. Jeff's red Suzuki Swift is parked at right with Jeff's handprints all over the trunk as he would have to get in there to grab his radio or safety vest, if he chose to wear one. Jeff's wearing the classic Canadian Tuxedo on this fine October day while a Canadian flag flaps in the breeze at the station. The folks at OSR already had paint in mind for 6508 and by the <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=20303 target=_blank>next summer it would be in OSR paint</a>. Jeff was always friendly and I saw him so often in this era watching his F units work, sometimes he was even in the Engineer's seat. What's your favorite memory of Mr. Willsie? Please add a comment below.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Ontario Southland
Date:	10/12/2014
Location:	Woodstock
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 21 Favourites

ETL 105 was built in 3/1956 by GMDD London for the Essex Terminal and basically has worked its entire career here. Pictured working the CPKC/ETR Interchange with the iconic Detroit skyline in the background, the 0630 with 105 solo is busy working the interchange before they basically finish for the day in the mid afternoon. You can see a track that leads to the CPKC yard and in the far distance a couple CP locomotives.<br><br>The skyscrapers found from right to left, Book Tower, Penobscot Building, 150 West Jefferson, the 2024 completed "Hudsons" Building in a dark colour, one of the tallest, and the Guardian Building in red. I've spent some time in Detroit over the last couple years and to say the "D" is getting better is an understatement. It still has it's rough spots but it's improving and fast. The Michigan Central station is getting a $1B makeover courtesy of Ford Motor Company who I believe plan to make it an office space. There are plans to bring passenger trains to that Station again, nd as well, cross one train over the border onto the Essex Terminal to VIA Windsor (Walkerville) station by 2026. I'll believe that when it happens. But GO Detroit (and Windsor!) Go. The Gordie Howe bridge will be a crown jewel.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Essex Terminal
Date:	10/22/2024
Location:	Windsor
Province:	Ontario

4 Comments | 16 Favourites

VIA 6539, former OSR 1400 now owned by the <a href=https://viahistory.ca/home/ target=_blank>Via Historical Association</a> along with OSR employees and the members of the VIA crammed in the Cab take a joyride on the Port Burwell subdivision as they cross Macbeth Line in Salford. This was entirely unexpected as I saw the members cram into the cab and then someone said they were going south.... vha had a couple runpasts in private in the middle of fields then back to the shop.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	10/31/2024
Location:	Salford
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 29 Favourites

Pictured are two trains, 540 in front framed in the nice fencing at "Granite Homes" property between Alma and Edinburgh (A great place to watch trains), and in the far left you can see 542 having cleared the mainline and are about to head north to the Guelph Junction Railway. L540 is shown on the siding as they've cleared the mainline to meet VIA 85 who would pass by 5 minutes later. Remember these GMD-1's? They were so common around here for a few years. At least one is near by on <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=45238 target=_blank>Waterloo Central</a>. :)

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	1/15/2019
Location:	Guelph
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 11 Favourites

Ahh to do this again... CP Train 255 blasting north out of Hamilton with all EMD action in the ethanol glory years of the early 2010's after the DM&E takeover.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	9/4/2011
Location:	Hamilton
Province:	Ontario

2 Comments | 19 Favourites

At Salford Ontario on Halloween 2024, the <a href=https://viahistory.ca/home/ target=_blank>Via Rail Historical Association (VHA)</a> unveiled the fully painted 6539. The VHA has put years into their efforts to build a train to celebrate VIA's upcoming 50'th anniversary and now they have a fully operating locomotive - at present the only operating VIA painted F unit in this paint according to the VHA folks. 6539 is shown purring like a kitten alongside OSR 1401 that was also purring in a stiff but unusually warm autumn wind. What's great about th efforts of the VHA team is all of this was done without public money, fairly quickly, and successfully. More to come - visit their website linked above for more information and how you can help.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	10/31/2024
Location:	Salford
Province:	Ontario

7 Comments | 36 Favourites

Just off Muskoka Road is a neat little bridge in the town of Bracebridge, and CN spreader "W908" is heading north on the Newmarket Subdivision clearing some of the 3 feet of snow that fell in the days prior. With a sudden and severe cold snap having come in January this meant warmer waters dumped all their moisture as snow over days with local accumulations topping out at 50 cm per day. CN would drag this spreader out of the MOW track in Stratford to bring it to Toronto and run it north on the Bala and Newmarket subs. The building in the background screams cold with large icicles dangling from the roofline. Now owned by the Town of Bracebridge this building was Bird Woolen Mill built in 1918. <a href=https://engagebracebridge.ca/3ecclestone/news_feed/property-background target=_blank>Source</a>.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	1/20/2024
Location:	Bracebridge
Province:	Ontario

6 Comments | 24 Favourites

Pictured is GIO lifting the last car (to date) out of Kemira in St. Catharines on February 29, with traffic rushing along Berryman Ave and photographers scurrying everywhere. (I'm amazed none are in my shot). This would NOT be the last train on the line. After GIO left the line for dead, dimensional loads had to come out of Trenergy and the <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=54525 target=_blank>last moves to date</a>, would be in June 2024 where the trackmobile in Dean's photo would take loads down the N&ST Spur to Merriton. The line hasn't been officially given up/discontinued by CN nor ripped out and anything is possible until it's ripped out. Despite what some folks have been saying, this wasn't the last movement on the Grantham Spur. This probably won't be the last train on the north end of the Thorold sub either.. only time will tell for sure. People did the same with OSR left the Cayuga spur... folks - don't proclaim the last train until you know for sure. No need to rush your proclamations as history has a habit of proving us wrong if we do :)

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	GIO Rail
Date:	2/29/2024
Location:	St. Catharines
Province:	Ontario

1 Comments | 16 Favourites

The 0700 job is arriving in the yard where Yellowline is to run-around their train and begin work. GP39V 2968 leads the movement. I wonder what the crews think of all this hoopla now that hundreds of railfans have converged on these things to photograph them, often in large groups. As a friend of mine said, to most crews these things are just a tool to do their jobs, and it's just paint. It's fall 2024 and the BNSF's are going strong, and so too are the railfans following them. What do you think?

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	7/14/2023
Location:	Hamilton
Province:	Ontario

8 Comments | 18 Favourites

Behind the doors for the last time, M420's 647 and 644, now lettered for CFS (Sartigan Railway) are about to be removed from the shop as they are being shipped out to Quebec via CN. This engine house was usually filled to the gills with locomotives but with jobs already on duty there was some room to see inside a bit more. This shop was owned by OSR but was sold by them (Along with the yard office) to the Guelph Junction Railway fairly recently and is planned to be leased out. The VHA has been painting some coaches in here over the last few months.<br><br>A few days after this photo, CN would finally <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=54448 target=_blank>grab these two</a> from the <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=54450 target=_blank>interchange</a> only to <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=54447 target=_blank>leave them</a> behind in XV yard for a few days.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Ontario Southland
Date:	5/26/2020
Location:	Campbellville
Province:	Ontario

6 Comments | 10 Favourites

Tucked behind an auto body shop is this well groomed part of the right of way that I didn't often shoot at. Unfortunately, Metrolinx has been fencing the entire right of way as fast as they can in the Kitchener area due to copious amounts of homeless trespassers looking to set up camp. It made for a nice spot to watch L540 as they throttled up to go to Guelph as they leave the siding. The lead unit is one of 5 MEI purchased former UP locomotives that were painted by MEI in East St. Louis. Another batch of former HLCX units has arrived in Toronto and they were spray painted with CN marks. With the distinctly non Canadian features CN's keeping it interesteing as they try to solve their four axie motive power woes by buying junkers.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	9/23/2023
Location:	Kitchener
Province:	Ontario

2 Comments | 14 Favourites

It's before 0800 and the CN Sarnia Plank Road yard job is busy switching "A" yard while the sun rises to the south. In the distance is the Sarnia yard tower. Sarnia is one of the largest yards on the CN system in Canada.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	9/10/2022
Location:	Sarnia
Province:	Ontario

2 Comments | 14 Favourites

A photo of the transition from OSR to GEXR: The day before the last OSR trains would run on the Guelph Junction Railway, three GEXR locomotives were hurried over to Guelph by L540. Pictured is L540 with a pair of CN GP9's about to set the locomotives off on the north leg of the wye while OSR waits north of Woodlawn Road with OSR (nee CP) 1591. CN 542 with GMD-1 1408 solo was behind me waiting at the switch to CN, making for a brief flurry of activity during Lunch. OSR would take these three south to Guelph Junction as there were no plans to make a southbound run on the 29'th - all OSR power would head north and stay in Guelph as they ran three trains (with four crews).<a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=42582 target=_blank>Train one and two</a> | <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=42583 target=_blank>Recrew of Train two</a> | <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=42584 target=_blank>Train Three</a> - the last one to operate and would park at 6:23 PM the next day. A note about this spot today you'll find a small yard here, the track has been vastly expanded.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	8/27/2020
Location:	Guelph
Province:	Ontario

1 Comments | 12 Favourites

JLCX 3502, a GP35 formerly of the Denver and Rio Grande, has its gyrolight rotating while the crew close the gate on WP Warehousing's property. The GIO crew will return to the N&ST Spur and head back toward the Grimsby sub to cross over onto the Thorold spur. Formerly known as the Grantham Subdivision in the CN days, in the GIO days this line was officially called, on their timetable and paperwork the N&ST Spur. This locomotive was returned to JLCX and is no longer being used by GIO. What a treat this was to hear this thing working though, I enjoy any EMD with a turbo.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	GIO Rail
Date:	6/2/2021
Location:	St. Catharines
Province:	Ontario

7 Comments | 13 Favourites

A woman is buying coffee and bagels at Dog Daze Coffee, a pop up shop out of an old airstream trailer on the Grainte Homes/Fixed Gear Brewing area of "The Junction". L542 is passing by with a single locomotive as they switch cars. This area of town is turning into a lively part of the neighborhood, rp.ca viewers and photographers will enjoy visiting this area. Not only is the property friendly to railfans, you get a great view of all the action, with railway themed things all over the place including a caboose. This day was <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=51269 target=_blank>Productive one</a> for me and there's much more to come.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	10/9/2022
Location:	Guelph
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 11 Favourites

Get used to these GP15's - they are growing in popularity. The GP15's are coming to shortlines throughout North America and they are killing a lot of first generation EMD and Alco products as UP is basically retiring their GP15-1 fleet, and they are being sold through various dealers or lease outfits. The GP15 was built as a GP9 replacement in the late 70's / early 80's and it seems it took 40 years for this to happen for real :) What other Canadian outfits had GP15's?<br><br>These two are not from the UP though, they are former Conrail GP15-1's which went through LTEX eventually to the G&W Fold. And that orange paint? It's just one of the many LTEX paint schemes they have for lessors to choose from. This unit was scheduled to be painted in North Bay, but it missed the paint window when it was sent to the ONR, so after whatever repairs were made it was sent back to Oshawa be pressed into service. Thank the Lord, cause this orange sure is different.<br><br>Pictured is the Rail Synergy Oshawa job pulling out of the loading racks with a cut of cars for the CNR or CPRKC in Oshawa. They usually do two to three runs from here up the hill (heavy grades mean they can only take so much) then down to their respective yards. After finishing the autoracks, they head over to do the frames in the late afternoon, or so I am told. Do note while taking this photo the CPKC was in town lifting loaded autoracks from their yard - the G&W Boys would essentially follow CPKC across the bridge once they cleared to reverse into the depths of the oshawa yard tracks. It's great to see activity in Oshawa again after so many years. I'm looking forward to driving through again and dropping by to see what's going on - the Kingston sub is also very busy with tonnes of action - I'd get about 4-5 movements in an hour before leaving town.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:
Date:	7/29/2024
Location:	Oshawa
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 14 Favourites

The Credit Valley Explorer tourist train trundles north through Cheltenham toward Boston Mills and Inglewood on the very scenic, very missed Orangeville Brampton Railway. Cando Engineer and Railpictures.ca photographer <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/author/runeight target=_blank> Steve Bradley </a> was at the helm this day and it was just them and me, I seemed to be the only photographer chasing from the ground. I hope folks aboard took photos, what a view. This was during my 'once annual' visit in the fall to shoot these guys... I wish I shot this line more but I know what I have - this line was pure photographic gold. Many folks including Mr. Bradley posted shots here - check them out!

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Orangeville-Brampt…
Date:	10/15/2017
Location:	Inglewood
Province:	Ontario

2 Comments | 15 Favourites

Pictured from the platform of the Sarnia VIA station is this motly collection of motive power at the Lambton Diesel Specialists shop located in the leased Sarnia CN roundhouse built around 1890. CN 7311 is the last CN SW1200 officially on the roster and leased to the CN Steel Center at Vaughan. It's shown here after repairs, waiting for pickup by a local which happened within an hour. 18 hours later it will be back in Toronto as it was lifted by 509 then taken to Toronto on 434 with no delay. A number of other LDS locomotives are shown: Former CN 4100 is now in GIO grey, the Stelco locomotive in behind is also painted now, and the two IC SW14's are currently being worked on as they were in this photo. The GP9 in the background bounces around and has already seen service at local industries.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	12/2/2023
Location:	Sarnia
Province:	Ontario

4 Comments | 11 Favourites

CP Train 244 is finishing their setoff at what was once Mile 18 of the CN Fergus Subdivision, leased to CP from Concession St to Hespeler Ave. A CN mile sign in the bushes marks the spot. A red flag in the middle of the track marks the Fergus north of here out of service since the GEXR days. Eagle St to Concession St (pictured here) will be ripped up soon once the CN / Canadian Transportation Agency discontinuance process has completed. CN already ripped out two crossings mind you. 244 will return south down the CP Waterloo Subdivision back to the Galt sub with a single boxcar before heading east to Toronto Yard.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	BNSF
Date:	12/19/2020
Location:	Cambridge
Province:	Ontario

5 Comments | 13 Favourites

I enjoyed the second wind of these beasts when they came back to life for 3 more years (2019-2021), before being unceremoniously parked and sold in April 2021. This was a chance encounter, meaning unplanned, noting brilliant sky after doing some family things nearby and heading home for Guelph I realized I needed to find something, anything moving. Then the 1600 calls out of the yard to go to Parkdale - perfect. I perched quickly on a high spot to get as much sky as possible - Ferguson ave - and the GMD-1's were the power for the train. After this I rolled on home.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	12/10/2020
Location:	Hamilton
Province:	Ontario

2 Comments | 18 Favourites

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